A meatworks plant has been fined $332,000 for failing to ensure the safety of an employee whose hand was severed.
Alliance Group Ltd appeared in the Timaru District Court on Wednesday over the 2017 incident, which saw the inexperienced worker's hand amputated in a piece of machinery.
The unsupervised man had only been employed for five days when he opened a section of machinery used for dehydrating blood into powder, and placed his hand inside.
Alliance Group was sentenced for breaching the Health and Safety Act after a WorkSafe investigation found the plant had failed to ensure his health and safety, and that it was reasonably practicable for them to have undertaken an adequate risk assessment of the machine and ensure it was adequately guarded.
"The level of injury and trauma this worker endured as a result of Alliance's failings will impact him for the rest of his life," Worksafe investigations deputy general manager Simon Humphries said.
"This is a stark reminder to others operating machinery in every industry to ensure machinery is adequately guarded. New Zealand has rigorous and accessible standards for machine guarding - adhering to them and mitigating the risks your machinery poses is imperative to keeping workers safe from harm."
Following the incident instructions on how to operate it were made.
Alliance had voluntarily paid reparations prior to sentencing, and no further reparations were ordered.
Newshub.
